Reverbiage: Stories from NPR tagged 'genetic'

Expert Weighs Questions On Genetic Testing

Wed, 31 Dec 2008 16:19:00 EST

Dr. Judy Garber, director of the Cancer Risk and Prevention Program at the Dana-Farber Cancer Institute, answers listeners' questions about genetic testing.

Family Struggles With Genetic Testing Ambiguity

Tue, 30 Dec 2008 11:41:00 EST

For many people seeking answers through genetic testing, all the DNA probing ends in this twist: Less certainty, not more. This sometimes leads to tough personal decisions, like those made by Nashville novelist Susan Gregg Gilmore and her family.

Shade-Grown Coffee Not Just For The Birds

Fri, 26 Dec 2008 14:56:00 EST

Shade-grown coffee is sometimes called "bird friendly coffee," but a new paper in the journal Current Biology suggests that the plantations also help maintain the genetic diversity of native tree species. Study author Shalene Jha discusses the research and its implications.

As Friends, Mother And Daughter Savor The Days

Fri, 05 Dec 2008 02:08:00 EST

Barbara Cooper has a form of progeria, a genetic disorder that speeds up her body's aging process and causes a shortened life span. But Cooper is 31 — and though her vision long ago began to fail, her mother told her, "You remember your reflection, and that you will always be young in your mind."

Genetic Engineering Conference Kicks Off At MIT

Fri, 07 Nov 2008 13:36:00 EST

Eighty-four teams of students from 21 countries are gathering at MIT to compete in the International Genetically Engineered Machine (iGEM) competition. The teams have been working since the summer to construct biological machine systems — and operate them within living cells.

Researchers Sequence Cancer Genome

Fri, 07 Nov 2008 13:30:00 EST

A genetics team sequenced DNA from both cancerous and normal tissue from a patient with the white blood cell cancer. The researchers then compared the two sequences to identify 10 mutated genes that appear to be associated with the formation of the cancer.

'Repo!' Opera: A Genetically Enhanced Hit...

Thu, 06 Nov 2008 17:49:00 EST

Darren Lynn Bousman thinks his "genetic opera" has the potential to be the next Donnie Darko or Rocky Horror Picture Show. But can you engineer a cult classic? Or is it only fans who can decide what's worthy of devotion?

5,300-Year-Old Mummy Has No Human Descendants

Fri, 31 Oct 2008 13:52:00 EDT

Oetzi, a mummified man found frozen in the Italian Alps after 5,300 years, has no living genetic descendants among modern humans. The discovery came after researchers sequenced Oetzi's entire genome and compared it with human DNA.

Oetzi The Iceman May Be The Last In His Family

Thu, 30 Oct 2008 12:26:00 EDT

Scientists have learned a lot about the man whose 5,300-year-old remains were discovered in the Italian Alps in 1991. But one question has remained unanswered: Does he have any living descendants? Apparently not, at least based on genetic markers from his mother.

Personal Genome Project Posts DNA Info Online

Fri, 24 Oct 2008 13:18:00 EDT

The Personal Genome Project is attempting to find 100,000 volunteers to publish their entire genetic makeup — including their physical traits — online. So far, ten individuals have chosen to share their DNA sequences, medical records, and other personal information with the research community and the general public.

Gut Bacteria May Cause And Fight Disease, Obesity

Tue, 21 Oct 2008 00:01:00 EDT

These genes aren't from your parents, but the genetic code of the bacteria in your gut can determine your health — and affect conditions like type 1 diabetes and obesity.

Breast Cancer Detected 'In The Family'

Tue, 30 Sep 2008 11:15:00 EDT

Tests for cancer are intimidating enough — and now genetic tests can reveal a patient's predisposition for certain cancers before there are any symptoms. Filmmaker Joanna Rudnick, upon learning she had such a genetic mutation, made a TV documentary about the agonizing choices such tests involve.

Mutating Gene May Explain Human Dexterity

Fri, 12 Sep 2008 10:00:00 EDT

Scientists believe that a certain genetic sequence, which is uniquely unstable in human beings, may explain how humans became so good at using tools and walking upright. The gene sequence, named HACNS1, is thought to regulate both hand and limb formation in embryos.

Beer Yeast Separates The Ales From The Lagers

Fri, 12 Sep 2008 10:00:00 EDT

Different types of beers — ales, stouts, etc — are distinguished primarily by their yeast, but now these groupings might get even more complicated. Scientists have examined the genetic sequences of 17 unique lager yeast strains from breweries in Europe and North America, tracing variations in their genetic code back through time.

Tailoring Treatments To Patients' Genetics

Thu, 11 Sep 2008 07:51:00 EDT

Since it turns out that genes play a big role in how an individual responds to certain drugs, the pharmaceutical industry is looking at genetics. Entrepreneurs are developing and marketing products and techniques to try to improve the odds that a particular drug will work on a patient.

FBI Scientist Explains Genetics Of Anthrax Case

Tue, 19 Aug 2008 06:00:00 EDT

The FBI has revealed new details about the scientific findings that led them to suspect Army scientist Bruce Ivins was responsible for the 2001 anthrax mailings that killed five people. Ivins committed suicide last month. The case against Ivins rests, in part, on a complex genetic technique.

'The Condition' Resonates With Turner Syndrome Families

Sat, 02 Aug 2008 16:00:00 EDT

It's not clear whether "the condition" that the title of Jennifer Haigh's new novel refers to Turner's syndrome — a genetic disorder that prevents puberty and full growth in girls — or how the family of a child with the condition comes to grips with it.

Researchers Find Possible Genetic Clue To ADHD

Fri, 11 Jul 2008 13:36:00 EDT

A study of two brothers with attention deficit hyperactivity disorder could give scientists the right ammunition to resolve the mysteries of ADHD, one of the most common mental disorders that develop in children.

Labs Test Dog DNA

Sun, 01 Jun 2008 13:13:00 EDT

The days of freewheeling speculation regarding the genetic roots of the family mutt may be over. For a fee of about $80, several labs now offer DNA tests for mixed-breed dogs, promising to inform curious families just what breeds of dog make up Fido's heritage. Vets say these pedigree tests are accurate and they're becoming more popular.

Organism Captures and Assimilates Foreign DNA

Fri, 30 May 2008 00:45:00 EDT

Small freshwater invertebrates known as rotifers have the uncanny ability to capture bits of DNA from other organisms and assimilate that genetic code. Researchers writing this week in the journal Science report that the genome of one class of rotifers can include DNA from bacteria, fungi, and even plants.

'Green' Genetic Plant Claims Draw Skeptics

Thu, 29 May 2008 16:00:00 EDT

A biotech company says it has created genetically engineered canola and rice plants that need only half as much nitrogen fertilizer. But some environmentalists don't think that any genetically engineered crops can really be "green."

Shingles Pain Prompts Call for Adult Vaccinations

Thu, 29 May 2008 03:34:00 EDT

A Texas woman shares her story and echoes a U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention recommendation that older adults be vaccinated against the painful nerve infection. Also, new research shows some people have a genetic tendency to get shingles.

Where Does the Flu Come From...

Wed, 21 May 2008 13:00:00 EDT

Recent research using the newest tools of genetics and molecular biology is giving us answers. That's particularly valuable as we try to predict which strains of the flu virus to use in future vaccines.

Genetic Engineering Protects Against Ash Beetles

Wed, 21 May 2008 13:00:00 EDT

The Emerald Ash Borer, accidentally imported from China a decade ago, has killed over 25 million ash trees in the Midwest. Attempts to save the trees have had no success. But now tree scientists think they may have hit on a solution: genetically engineering the native tree variety.

Mammoth Tomatoes Arose from Genetic Mutation

Mon, 12 May 2008 13:10:00 EDT

Those softball-size tomatoes at the supermarket get their heft from a simple genetic mutation that creates extra compartments.